Smithsonian exhibit opens at WCU

“Journey Stories,” an exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, will be on display at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning on “Mountain Heritage Day” Sept. 29 and continuing through Nov. 9.

The traveling exhibit tells the story of migration and mobility throughout American history, ranging from the tales of immigrants who came to America in search of promise in a new country to the harrowing journeys of Africans and Native Americans who were forced to move. It also includes stories of fun and frolic on the open road.

“Journey Stories” is composed of seven freestanding kiosks, with audio stations, a digital slideshow, a selection of artifacts and other interactive components. The exhibit’s showing in Cullowhee is made possible by the North Carolina Humanities Council and is part of the Museum on Main Street program, a collaboration between the Smithsonian and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for the exhibit is provided through Congress and its showing at WCU is part of a six-stop tour of North Carolina.